Should cities require old apartments to put in fire sprinklers? Question of the Week

There were no fire sprinklers to dampen the black billowing smoke and flames lapping out of a West Los Angeles high-rise apartment last week. But should there have been?

Several people were injured in the blaze, including a 2-year-old who local television station KTLA reported was found unconscious with her grandfather by a neighbor in a smoky stairwell. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Some think the scary scene could have been prevented altogether had the city or state required fire sprinklers.

But others say the fact that no one died in the fire is evidence that existing rules regarding smoke detectors and fire-retardant technology is working, and more regulations such as forcing sprinklers in apartments is unnecessary.

In 1989, California mandated fire sprinklers on all new apartments. Los Angeles requires sprinklers in high-rises constructed after 1974. But the 240-unit apartment building was erected in 1961, long before politicians pushed for the regulation.

While the incident provoked little outcry in Southern California, that might have been different if there were more injuries or maybe even more dramatic images, such as those from another fire last week, this one in Northern California. The harrowing footage of a six-alarm fire sparked a clear response from Redwood City Fire Marshal Jim Palisi: “I guarantee if this building had been sprinklered this wouldn’t have happened” he said.

Sprinklers might prevent fires like the one in West L.A. last week, but it would certainly add more costs and more rules to apartment owners who already face mountains of regulation.

What do you think? Should cities require older buildings to be retrofitted with fire sprinklers even if it is costly? Should the state offer financial incentives? Is it worth it if just one life is saved? Can we legislate every potential danger out of existence?

Send your thoughts to opinion@langnews.com. Include your full name and the city or community of your residence. Provide a daytime phone number for verification. Or use the comments section that accompanies this article online. As many responses as possible will be published Sunday.